Tobacco feeding mechanism of cigarette making machines



P 1940' G. DEARSLEY 2,214,044

TOBACCO FEEDING MECHANISM OF CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES Filed Sept: 9, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR GEORGE DEAR LEY BYW% ATTORNEY Sept. 10, 1940. G. DEARSLEY 2,214,044

TOBACCO FEEDING MECHANISM OF CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES Filed Sept. 9, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GEORGE DEARSLEY BY ATTORNEY p 1940- G. DEARSLEY 2,214,044

TOBACCO FEEDING MECHANISM OF CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES Filed Sept. 9, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOR GEORGE DE R LEY BYW Aiy ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 10, 1940 PATENT I ()FFICE TOBACCO FEEDING MECHANISM OF CIGARETTE MAKING MACHINES George Dearsley, London, England, assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 9, 1937, Serial No. 163,072 In Great Britain October 1, 1936 5 Claims.

This invention relates'to tobacco feeding mech-- anism for cigarette making machines of the con-- tinuous rod type.

It is the usual practice in tobacco feeding 5 mechanism to provide a rotary feed drum hav' ing a carded surface adapted to receive a mat or layer of tobacco from a hopper or supply, said mat or layer being picked off and delivered to the trough of the cigarette machine either direct or through other means by which the tobacco is evenly distributed. The quantity of tobacco is determined by the layer or mat on the feed drum, and in order to measure the tobacco it is usual to provide means comprising a rotary refusing drum which removes excess tobacco from the carding of the feed drum. The surface of the refusing drum moves oppositely to the feed drum to remove the excess tobacco which is returned to the hopper or supply. In its action the refusing drum causes the formation of a roll of tobacco in the bight between the feed drum and the refusing drum. This tobacco roll is of a more or less hard matted natureand it is thought is the cause of an uneven mat being formed on the feed drum, sometimes causing the mat to be thin in places by removing tobacco before the refusing drum operates and at other times causing hard matted portions which break away from the roll to be carried over to the position where the tobacco is picked from the feed drum.

Another drawback of the refuser drum method of determining the mat on the feed drum is that the refuser drum is set to a predetermined position with respect to the feed drum and when it becomes necessary to vary the feed and thus vary the weight of the cigarettes, this is done by altering the speed of the tobacco feed entailing expensive variable speed mechanism.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved method and means for controlling the quantity of tobacco on the feed drum whereby the formation of a tobacco roll is avoided and also whereby the use of variable speed gearing is unnecessary.

According to the invention the quantity of tobacco carried by the feed drum carding is determined by means adapted to act upon the tobacco by a brushing or combing action which presses the tobacco into the carding and removes 60 excess tobacco according to the depth to which said means enters the carding.

Preferably a comb or rake is provided adapted to move in an orbital path, the operative part of which conforms to the curvature of the feed 5 drum... i

The angle of the comb or rake relatively to the surface of the drum may be varied so that the component force pressing the tobacco into the carding may be varied. 1

The comb or rake may be adjusted to enter 5 more or less into the carding so that the amount of tobacco in the carding may be determined.

A number of rakes or combs may be arranged in series so that the determination of the amount of tobacco may be effected in stages. 10

Further features of the invention will be hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying diagrammatic drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation showing the improved tobacco feeding mechanism according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the combing or brushing device accordingtoFigure 1 on an enlarged scale.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are side elevations of three 20 modified forms of combing or brushing means according to the invention.

Figure 6 is a view in schematic elevation, illustrating means by which the depth to which the rake enters into the carding of the feed drum 5 can be adjusted.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode, see Figures 1 and 2, a feed drum it is provided having the usual carded surface I I, such drum being associated with and 30 forming the front wall of a hopper l2 or tobacco supply having a lower feed conveyor I3 whereby the tobacco in the hopper is fed to the drum and taken up in the carding as the drum revolves. 35

Above the drum a mounting is provided for a rake or comb. The mounting comprises an arm 14 located more or less in the vertical plane of the drum axis. At the end remote from the drum the arm or mounting is provided with an 40 elongated eye or slot l5 forming a guide or slide for a block l6 which is carried by trunnions l1 whereby the mounting may reciprocate toward the drum Ill and at the same time pivot about the trunnions. 45

\At its other end the mounting I4 is provided with a laterally extending arcuate portion l8 which forms a seating for a rake or comb carrier IS, the carrier being curved to conform with the arcuate seating. The carrier is adapted to be adjusted in the arcuate seating and is fixed in position by suitable bolts 2c in slots 2|. The arcuate portion it extends horizontally; parallel to the drum and a pair of carriers I 9 may be provided, one at each end of the arcuate portion.

At their lower ends the rake or comb carriers l9 have bolted thereto an angle piece 22 on which the rake or comb 23 is secured, the angle piece and rake or comb being of the full width of the feed drum.

When the rake or comb carrier I9 is adjusted to its highest position with respect to the arouate portion 18, the rake or comb 23 extends downwardly at an angle of about 45. The angle may be varied by adjusting the carrier IS in the arcuate seating, the arrangement preferably permitting the rake or comb to occupy any angle between 45 and vertical.

Located to the right of the mounting I4 is a horizontally arranged cam shaft 24 which is provided with an eccentric 25, the sheave 26 of which has a horizontally extending arm 21 pivoted to the mounting l4.

By means of this eccentric, a lateral reciprocation is imparted to the mounting.

Also fixed upon the cam shaft 24 is a suitably shaped cam 28 which engages with a roller 29 carried by a laterally extending part 3 of the mounting M whereby a vertical reciprocation is imparted to the mounting. A spring 3! is preferably provided to keep the roller 29 in engagement with the cam, or the weight of the mounting may be sufficient for the purpose.

By the combined movements imparted by the cam 23 and eccentric 25, the rake or comb 23 is caused to move in an orbital path, the operative lower part of which conforms substantially to the curvature of the feed drum. Thus the rake or comb moves laterally, in engagement with the tobacco in the feed drum and then rises and returns free of said tobacco whereby the tobacco is subjected to an intermittent brushing or combing action which presses the tobacco onto the carding and at the same time removes excess tobacco in a direction opposite to the movement of the drum, i. e. to the left with the arrangement described.

The amplitude of the oscillations of the rake or comb and the relative speeds of operation of the rake or comb and the feed drum may be such that an overlap of the successive brushing or combing actions takes place.

By altering the angle of the rake or comb (by an adjustment of the carrier 15 in the arcuate seating I8) the component of the force pressing the tobacco in the carding may be varied as desired. Further the extent to which the rake or comb enters the carding may be adjusted whereby the amount of tobacco in the carding may be varied from full to the desired fraction. This vertical adjustment is effected by mounting the spindle of the cam roller 29 on an eccentric shaft 49 (see Fig. 6).

It will be appreciated that there will be an accumulation of tobacco, in the direction from which the stream proceeds, and in order to prevent too great an accumulation against the rake or comb 23, a subsidiary rake 32 may be arranged to operate on the stream before it reaches the main rake and supported by the angle on which the main rake is fixed.

By means of the invention the formation of a roll of tobacco is prevented as the comb or rake only operates for a comparatively short time and then returns to take a new grip of the mass in such a way that the tobacco is combed into the carding. Instead of the rake or comb being arranged vertically above the feed drum as shown it may be located at any other convenient position.

According to a modification a number of rakes may be provided spaced from one another so that the pressing and brushing or combing action is effected in stages.

According to a further form, see Figure 3, a number of rakes 33 may be arranged to rotate about an axis parallel to the drum axis. Each rake 33 is pivotally mounted upon a rotating support 34 and is provided with a roller 35 which engages a fixed cam 36 whereby the circular motion is modified to give the desired brushing and pressing action on a path parallel to the surface of the feed drum. A spring 3! is provided to hold the roller 35 up to the cam.

According to another form, see Figure 4, a drum 38 may be provided having a carded surface 39 adapted to provide the brushing and pressing action. The drum is mounted upon an oscillating arm 40 which oscillates about the axis of the feed drum 4|. The brushing drum 38 is rotated through the bevel gearing 42, the arrangement being such that during a movement counter to the movement of the feed drum a brushing action takes place while on the return movement the rotary action of the drum 38 is nullified so that no brushing takes place during such return.

The brushing drum 38 may be rotated intermittently instead of continuously.

In some cases the desired brushing effect may be obtained by a number of rake or comb elements 43 (Figure 5) fixed to a suitable central element or hub 44 and rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of the feed drum l0.

- In addition to the advantages of the rake or comb as set out above, the action of the rake is more gentle than the usual refuser drum resulting in a decrease in the amount of breaking of the tobacco in the feeding mechanism.

The tobacco from the feed drum is showered ionto a front feed belt 45 by a picker roll 46 and carried to a feeding or distributing mechanism 41 of known form whereby it is showered into the trough 48 of the cigarette making machine.

I claim:

1. In tobacco feeding mechanism for cigarette making machines comprising a rotary carded feed drum, a comb element extending lengthwise of the feed drum and having rake teeth, and means for moving the comb element in an orbital path, the operative part of which conforms to the curvature of the feed drum, said comb element acting to press the tobacco into the carding and remove excess tobacco, said means comprising a mounting for the combelement extending radially of the drum, and means for imparting movements to the mounting comprising reciprocations radially and circumferentially of the feed drum.

2. In tobacco feeding mechanism for cigarette making machines comprising a rotary carded feed drum, a comb element extending lengthwise of the feed drum and having rake teeth, and means for moving the comb element in an orbital path, the operative part of which conforms to the curvature of the feed drum, said comb element acting to press the tobacco into the carding and remove excess tobacco, said' means comprising a mounting for the comb extending radially of the drum, cam means for imparting radial reciprocations to the mounting, and eccentric means for imparting circumferential reciprocations to the mounting.

3. In tobacco feeding mechanism for cigarette making machines comprising a rotary carded feed drum, a comb element extending lengthwise of the feed drum and having rake teeth, and means for moving the comb element in an orbital path, the operative part of which conforms to the curvature of the feed drum, said comb element acting to press the tobacco into the carding and remove excess tobacco, said means comprising a mounting for the comb extending radially of the drum, eccentric means for imparting circumferential reciprocations to the mounting, a rotary cam, and a roller carried by the mounting and engaging said cam, to impart radial reciprocations to the mounting, said roller being mounted upon an eccentrically mounted spindle whereby said radial reciprocations may be varied.

4. In tobacco feeding mechanism for cigarette making machines comprising a rotary carded feed drum, a comb element extending lengthwise of the feed. drum and having rake teeth, and

means for moving the comb element in an orbital path, the operative part of which conforms to the curvature of the feed drum, said comb element acting to press the tobacco into the carding and remove excess tobacco, said means comprising a mounting for the comb element extending radially of the feed drum, and means for imparting movements to the mounting comprising reciprocations radially and. circumferentially of the feed drum, said mounting having an arcuate seating surface, and a carrier for the comb element adjustably seated on said seating surface whereby the angle of the rake teeth relatively to the surface of the feed drum may be varied.

5. In tobacco feeding mechanism for cigarette making machines comprising a rotary carded feed drum, a comb element extending lengthwise of the feed drum and having rake teeth, and means for moving the comb element in an orbital path, the operative part of which conforms to the curvature of the feed drum, said comb element acting to press the tobacco into the carding and remove excess tobacco, said means comprising a mounting for the comb element extending radially of the feed drum, and means for imparting radial and circumferential reciprocations to the mounting, said mounting having an arcuate seating surface, a carrier for the comb element adjustably seated on said seating surface, and an auxiliary rake mounted on said carrier and operating to prevent excess tobacco collecting at the rear of the main rake.

GEORGE DEARSLEY. 

